Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant is decorated in a way that seems to fit New West's pseudo-Victorian image. This is but a portion of the books, bikes, lamps, stained glass windows and even streetcar (yes! filled with tables and chairs!) that fill the restaurant.

The food is also very good - I myself ate the Spaghetti with Mizrithi cheese a la Homer, a dish that legend serves Homer lived off of whilst writing 'Iliad'. Whether or not its true is immaterial; it was delicious!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The view up Begbie Street from the staircase leading up to the 3-storey outdoor parkade. To the right is the Scotia Bank building - it's one of the few still being used as a bank, harking back to the era when all banks were housed in grand buildings such as this one.

Monday, June 28, 2010

In honour of the end of the school year, a post taken outside New Westminster's only high school. As you may be able to see, students were writing provincial exams as late as this morning! The final day of school is tomorrow, and is usually a half day where students receive their report cards and best wishes for the next school year.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Along Front Street many of the buildings are the backsides of the shops on Columbia Street. This is one of the few that have been painted. It's also fenced off from the street; this photo was taken through the chain link fence.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Back on the New West Quay this sunny evening for a walk. Facing the World's Largest Tin Soldier (arm and leg at right of photo) is a play structure for the kids, the M.V. Expo Tugger (1986). Based on the year, I assume it was installed the year of the World's Expo in Vancouver. There were no kids playing on it tonight, so I did just after taking this photo.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Amtrak runs a route between Seattle and Vancouver. (The SkyTrain tracks are in the background.) It's one of the few locations to where a train runs. Unfortunately Canada isn't big on using train travel between cities.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

View of the backside of the former Columbia Famous Players theatre on Columbia Street.

Although this sign is at the top of the building, I was able to get this near to it by climbing to the top of the Downtown Parkade. The parkade is a three-story structure that was built over Front Street.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

This building - the Wharf - is located 180 degrees from yesterday's tugboat photo. It dates from the 1930s.

The Wharf was a transfer point for food, wood, coal, supplies and prisoners as this landing point on the Brunette River (and its confluence with the Fraser River) was once the location of a First Nations' village, a Royal Engineers' camp, the first colonial legislature of BC and a federal penitentiary.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Edward Kourt is an apartment complex near the intersection of Royal and 8th. If I'm not mistaken, it used to be much more mock Tudor than it currently is. The suites are lovely, with wood floors and rounded archways within.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

A cute little puddle jumper at the corner of Royal and 8th. The park was renamed Toronto Place Park a couple of years back when this little sculpture appeared. Until recently, I'd only ever seen it from the street, never having gone up the steps to see it from above. Imagine my surprise!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Mural on the side of the former Salvation Army store next to New Westminster Skytrain Station. The buildings above and to the right are new, and it would appear that this old building is going to be somehow incorporated into the building complex that is soon to include shops and cinemas. If I am remembering correctly, construction of this megalith has been ongoing since 2006.